


Heaven Knows What Happens Now

by mindyyorkes



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 13:57:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15909621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mindyyorkes/pseuds/mindyyorkes
Summary: Gert hates birthdays, especially this year, but a little someone comes to her rescue, and makes it a birthday she'll never forget.





	Heaven Knows What Happens Now

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to my incredible and beautiful friend Alessia, who I love more than anything and wouldn't know what to do without. I am so, so eternally grateful for you and our friendship. Thank you for everything and more <3

_We've always had time on our sides_  
_But now it's fading fast_  
_Every second_  
_Every moment_  
_We've got to, we've gotta make it last_

 

* * *

  

If Gert was being honest, she wasn’t the biggest fan of birthdays.

 

Well, at least her _own_.

 

Growing up, her birthday parties gave her so much (undiagnosed) anxiety, that she rarely ever enjoyed them. Getting gifts wasn’t special, especially from people with loads of money. She never got anything she truly wanted; just overpriced clothes or jewelry. Waking up a year older? Completely overrated, especially in this political and environmental climate.

 

This year was the worst, though, she decided. Yep, this took the cake for the worst birthday ever, considering they were on the run and on the most wanted list for a crime they didn’t commit. Who knows what would happen by the time her next birthday rolled around. Would they be in jail? Still living in this underground mansion? Would they even be alive?

 

That’s just the anxiety talking, she told herself. _Hopefully_.

 

Gert’s anxiety had been off the charts ever since that night at the digsite. They still hadn’t found time, let alone a **way** , to get her to them. Living a life under conditions that were so unpredictable was horrible on its own, but with her anxiety, some days it felt like she was living in her own personal hell.

 

At first, Gert didn’t bother trying to manage her pain at all. She lashed out, cried all day and every day, didn’t eat, and rarely ever slept. When she realized her behavior was taking a toll on the group, she said she’d find ways to help herself for the time being, if only they promised they’d get to the meds eventually, once things settled down. Since then, she took to writing in journals they got for cheap at Walmart, playing cards with Molly, exercising with Karolina (only on the worst days, because Karolina said the endorphins would help relieve the stress and she hated working out), painting with kid's paint from the dollar store, and playing the guitar they found at a thrift shop a few weeks ago. It seemed that things were finally getting better without her medication, even if it meant not sleeping at night sometimes, roaming the halls wondering how much longer the hostel would stay standing.

 

Except for tonight. Gert laid in the middle of her bed, legs resting off the side, fidgeting with her hands as she stared up at the ceiling. She was filled with high tense anxiety and felt like her heart was going to fall out of her ass at any second. Only because her birthday was tomorrow.

 

The sense of dread she was feeling was incomparable. What was the point of a birthday this year, anyway? There wouldn’t even be cake, which was the only thing she semi enjoyed about growing a year older. Tears started to well up in her eyes. A bad spell the night before her birthday...what a classic. _Classic Gert, as Alex_ would say. Mental illness was truly th-

 

Gert was literally knocked out of her thoughts as soon as she heard a knock on her door. She looked over to the clock she had in her room (which she had rightfully won in a game of poker with Nico, thank you very much), and by her not-so-surprise, yep, it was midnight.

 

“Ugh,” she muttered to herself. She didn’t want guests right now, not even her loving sister, whom she expected was about to waltz her way in to sing happy birthday.

 

“Gert, are you awake?,” a voice said from in the hallway.

 

_Oh._

 

Not Molly.

 

Chase. It was **Chase**.

 

Her and Chase were at an interesting point in their...whatever they wanted to call it right now. The relationship was not defined whatsoever. They were on very good speaking terms and sure, they made out every once in a while. But were they in a relationship yet? No. Did they sleep in the same bed most nights? Yep. Have they showered together on more than one occasion? Yep, but no sex. They hadn’t had sex since that night at the dance, which drove Gert crazy, but she respected it. They weren’t a thing yet, and if they were, she wasn’t aware. She wanted them to be, though. She wanted him so bad it physically hurt her insides. Restraining herself around a tussled hair, scruffy chin, more tan and buff-than-ever Chase Stein? Nearly impossible. Chase made her turn into a pile of goo every time he looked her way but she didn’t know what to do about it. Things were so messy on the run and who knew if starting a relationship under these circumstances would be a good idea.

 

But now it’s midnight, and he’s outside her door on her birthday, planning god knows what. Chase was always the best with surprises, but she didn’t know if she was in the mood for one of those right now.

 

Gert reluctantly stood up from the bed and went to open the door when she felt Chase tug back on it.

 

“Turn off all the lights. I can’t come in until you do.”

 

“Why is that?,” she said, rolling her eyes. She really wasn’t in the mood for games.

 

“Just do it.”

 

She obliged and made sure they were all off, even the fairy lights that she got buy one get one free for at Walmart. “They’re off now.”

 

Gert opened the door to see the vaguest outline of Chase’s body standing in the hallway, his hands behind his back, light from the hallway illuminating his shadow. He smiled at her, his eyes sparkling in the dark of night. Releasing one hand from behind, he pointed at her bed, motioning for her to sit down. She stuck out her tongue and did as he said. He followed her slowly, still hiding whatever he had for her.

 

“Close your eyes Gert. Don’t ask questions, please, just do it,” he said, hovering above her. Surprisingly, Gert listened with no talkbacks. She was too emotionally exhausted to flirt-fight back.

 

She felt the bed dip down a bit when he sat down next to her. Before getting comfortable, he placed the gentlest kiss on her cheek, sending her heart rate into overdrive. How _dare_ he.

 

“You can open them now,” he whispered. Gert flicked open her eyes to see Chase sitting next to her, holding one singular cupcake, covered with sprinkles. The candle in the middle lit the whole room. She felt like her legs were going to give out at any moment, even though she was sitting down.

 

“Happy birthday, Gert.”

 

She stared at him, mouth agape, rendered speechless. She had no idea what to say to him. He was too damn much for her in this state, well really, in any state. Somehow, he always knew what to do for her without her having to say a single word. Gert soon realized she had unknowingly burst into tears when Chase started fussing over her. He placed the cupcake down on the floor and reached for Gert, taking her into his arms, which made her cry harder.

 

“Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong?” he murmured, rubbing circles on her back. He kissed the top of her head as she sniffled.

 

“Not-nothing...you’re just so...you’re so nice to me,” she choked out, pulling away from the hug. She looked up into his eyes and felt like she could get lost in them. Chase wiped the tears still falling down her cheeks and chuckled.

 

“Well yeah, silly, why _wouldn’t_ I be?”

 

Gert shrugged, absentmindedly stroking his hand with her thumb, which she had grabbed onto at some point. “I don’t know. It’s been hard. And I hate birthdays.”

 

“I know...but I couldn’t not give you something, Gert. You’re my g-you’re my best friend.”

 

**Oh god.** Now she was in panic mode. Did he almost just refer to her as his girlfriend? Is this birthday actually going to be decent? Maybe it would be, if she stopped crying.

 

_Get it together, girl,_ she told herself. _This is your Sixteen Candles moment, without all the problematic parts of the movie._

 

Gert smiled, looking down at the cupcake. “Okay, best friend. Are you going to give me that cupcake, or not?”

 

“Maybe so. I made it myself, you know. No help from anyone.”

 

He placed the cupcake back in his palm, holding it out in front of her. She could tell he was so proud of this little creation, made just for her.

 

“Wow, I can’t wait for your Food Network show,” she teased, poking at his side.

 

“Hey! Don’t make fun! I worked hard!” he exclaimed.

 

God, he was so cute.

 

She _might_ just love him.

 

**Might**.

 

“I kid, I kid. It looks delicious. Thank you, Chase.”

 

When he grinned at her, she felt her heart melt.

 

**Fuck** it. Yeah. She _loved_ him.

 

“So are you gonna blow out the candle? Make a wish? Before the wax melts into the frosting?” Chase asked, waving the cupcake around in her face. God it smelled good, she thought to herself. Not as good as Chase’s cologne, but still good.

 

“I guess I should. What should I wish for?”

 

“Whatever your heart desires, babe.”

 

Was he _TRYING_ to KILL HER? _Babe? BABE?!_

 

Gert closed her eyes, and swiftly blew out the candle, as she thought hard about what she wanted, even though he was quite literally already in front of her. “Voila!”

 

“What’d you wish for?”

 

“I can’t tell you that. Then it won’t come true.”

 

He moved closer to her, setting the cupcake aside. “You sure about that?”

 

“Hmm?,” she cooed, raising an eyebrow, looking him dead in the face. Chase was so close to her now, he was practically on top of her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body, could smell the shampoo he just used. “I’ll raise you one to that.”

 

Chase snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She wrapped her legs around his hips, resting her arms on his shoulders. Gert giggled as their lips got closer, before they finally touched. She was screaming eternally. Best. Birthday. **Ever.**

 

Her fingers found their way into his hair and she felt him moan against her tongue. God, he was so hot.

 

“Be my boyfriend,” she muttered.

 

_Wait_. Did she say that out loud? _FUCK_. Oh my **god**.

 

Oh my god.

 

_This is a panic._

 

He pulled away from her, cheeks flushed. A smile formed on his face, his dimples out in full force. “What’d you just say?”

 

“Jesus Christ, Stein. Don’t make me say it again. It’s my birthday.”

 

“Well, if you meant it, the answer is yes. It’d always be yes.”

 

Gert knew she was blushing. She was still in his lap, and she could feel herself getting hotter each second. All she wanted to do was rip his shirt off. “Why do you always have to be so freakin’ charming?”

 

“It comes naturally. Wanna share the cupcake now, _girlfriend_?”

 

“Wait, wait,” she panicked. “It was that easy? You really want me? This isn’t a joke? Not a prank? I’ll cry on my birthday, I’ll do it.”

 

“No baby. This is real,” Chase laughed, placing a hand on her face. “Don’t ever doubt it. Happy birthday.”

 

He leaned in for another kiss. Gert felt like she was dreaming. Her mind was moving a mile a minute. Kissing Chase was always her favorite, but this was different. It was like she was living out a real life romcom, and she never wanted it to end.

 

Maybe birthdays weren’t so bad after all.

 

_I touch you once, I touch you twice_  
_I won't let go at any price_  
_I need you now like I need you then_  
_You always said we'd meet again_

 

* * *

 


End file.
